Another month has gone by and our District clubs continue to operate in full activity mode.  Make sure you check out the District calendar and Weekly Email Blast to see what’s going on.  You might be interested in one or more of the numerous golf events coming up.  Or maybe you’d have an interest in the Gilbert Rotary Trivia Event or the Wickenburg Crab Fest.  Try to support your fellow clubs in their activities.  The importance of collaboration cannot be overstated.
 
 
March is Water and Sanitation month.  The importance of clean water and good sanitation cannot be overstated.  Most of the problems that exist in the world today, particularly health problems, can be linked to poor water quality and poor sanitation.  Our organization has for more than 30 years been on a crusade to eliminate polio.  Do you know that the polio virus can live in water for 4 months or more?  Think what clean water could do to cut down on the ability of the virus to survive in water.  Think what better sanitation and better latrine facilities could do to prevent the virus from getting in the water in the first place!
 
Most of us have seen pictures of folks, primarily women, in poorer sections of the world who must travel miles to obtain clean water.  Have you seen these ladies lugging those 5 gallon pails?  Did you know that a 5 gallon of water weighs around 18 kilos, (that’s 40 pounds for those of your not proficient in the metric system)?  Think what a bore hole (well) in a village would mean to so many around the world.  Think what a working water system means to the Navajo families in New Mexico that have received one.  If you club is not involved in a water project now would be an ideal time to get involved in such a project.  It is an easy way to participate in a global grant without breaking the bank and it will do so much good to the beneficiaries of the project.
 
Let’s all make an effort to close out the Rotary year, both individually and in our clubs with a bang.  And then let’s get together at the District Conference in Scottsdale at the end of June to celebrate the year and have LOTS of fun!!
 
Speaking of closing out the year with a bang, why don’t we close out our investment in The Rotary Foundation and the PolioPlus fund with a BIG bang?  As I write this our investment in the Annual fund is just slightly more than 50% of what was contributed last year.  With only four months remaining in the year, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal.  Right now we have 13 non-giving clubs.  Frankly I find that to be a little sad.  Our PolioPlus giving is in better shape at about 71% of what was invested a year ago.  However we have 25 non-giving clubs in the District – a little disheartening considering that was an emphasis of mine this year.  But, on the bright side, there is time to make these deficiencies go away.  Please don’t be complacent in your Foundation giving.  It will come back to haunt us down the road.
 
So did you figure out “Where in the World the Governor was?  Well you should be able to tell from this month’s photo.  The DeLorean is capable of driving but not yet capable of time travel.  We made the journey, and in India it is a time consuming journey, from northwest India to Agra.  Supposedly the necessary spare parts have been shipped.  Maybe next month we can get closer to the present and home.